A Gem Of A Myth

During my studies of the Wicca religion it was required that I needed to learn about the various kinds of gemstones and crystals. For an assignment I needed to write about my birthstone. That birthstone being the Ruby gemstone. Here is all you need to know about the Ruby.

The mythology about rubies is vast and it varies. Some cultures associate it with the Zodiac sign of Capricorn (goat) and in other cultures, Taurus (bull). Most cultures consider the ruby as the birthstone for July. However, throughout the ages it has been associated with nearly every other month. Ruby's Day is Tuesday, it's season Summer, and its apostle St. Matthew. Rubies are a traditional gift for 40th wedding anniversaries. In myth and magic, at the time of the Borgias (15-16th century), rubies were thought to counteract poison- and were therefore in high demand! In the Renaissance Era, rubies were associated with charity. Rubies also brought the wearer serenity and protection against injury. Some believed that rubies could ward off misfortune and ill health, bring quarreling lovers back together and bring wealth. The healing powers of rubies remain a controversial issue, but are mentioned among healers, shamans and medicine men. It is a stone of love and thought to transform a woman's appearance with beauty. Some ancient cultures used rubies to treat digestive, blood and heart ailments. For a long time India was considered as the classical source of rubies. In the Sanskrit language ruby is called “ratnaraj”, which translates to “King of Gemstones”. Ancient Hindus believed that it was the “Lord of all Gems.” In the Middle Ages, people believed that the cosmos is reflected in rubies. The ruby is assigned with the planets Mars and Pluto. The Mogoc Valley in Upper Myanmar (Burma) was for centuries the world's main source for rubies. The region has produced some of the finest rubies ever mined. The very best color in Myanmar rubies is sometimes described as “pigeon's blood. Mong Hsu (Central Myanmar) began producing rubies in the early 1990's and became the world's main ruby mining area. Its wonderful color make fire and blood the elements most affiliated with the ruby. The ruby is a symbol of devotion, integrity and success. Usually not given as an engagement ring, a ruby engagement ring expresses passion and a promise of the heart.

So, what is a ruby? A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone. A variety of the mineral Corundum (aluminum dioxide). It gets its red color from the presence of the element, Chromium. Rubies are a-alumina (the most stable form of AI203) in which a small fraction of the aluminum3+ ions are replaced by Chromium3+ ions. Rubies can show color changes, though this happens very rarely. Its name comes from the Latin word ruber, meaning red. The ruby is considered one of the four precious stones, along with the sapphire, emerald and diamond.

Some interesting known facts about rubies are:
A synthetic ruby crystal was used to create the first laser.
Ruby is associated with the Sun in Vedic astrology.
Ruby symbolizes passionate love.

Although their names bear some similarities, rubies are not related to rubidium, and they don't contain this chemical element. Both names derive from the same Latin word, ruber, meaning red, in reference to the red color of the ruby, and the red resonance line of rubidium vapor, respectfully.

So, there you have. The Ruby gemstone. Beautiful.